Peter Crouch the DJ, Peter Crouch the pundit and Peter Crouch the aspiring coach can all take a back seat just for the moment: Peter Crouch the footballer isn't quite done yet.

The veteran Stoke City striker has been living a double life for the past fortnight, starring as guest host of the evening show on indie music station Radio X. He's had to record a couple of shows to fit in with Stoke's demands in pre-season but for the most part he's been live in the studio. It's not a long-term gig but another string to a pretty well-strung bow.

"I've enjoyed it actually," he said. "With the games I've played as well I can't always be there, but I've loved doing it live. It's something I won't be doing during the season, but because it's pre-season I've had a bit of time to do it.

"I like the music and it's certainly something that interests me and I've been grateful for the opportunity, but it's back to the day job come Everton away.

"I'm doing my coaching badges as well and I'd love to stay in football, but music is certainly a passion of mine and you never know what's going to happen. But first and foremost I'm a footballer, that's what I love doing and I want to do it for a few more years yet."

Crouch was managing his day job pretty well last season, even if he only started one of 17 league games before Christmas. He took his chance when it came by eventually scoring 10 times in all competitions – his best minutes-per-goal ratio in the league since he signed from Spurs six years ago.

He found the net every 191 minutes on average, better even than when he was bona fide first pick up front for Tony Pulis and Mark Hughes from 2011 to early 2015.

Peter Crouch was man of the match when Stoke City faced Neuchatel Xamax.

Most of the stories written about Crouch in 2016 involved transfer talk about extending his career at a new club, but that form saw him moved more centrally to Hughes's plans, particularly at home, where Stoke won three and drew two of the games he started.

The 36-year-old accepts he will face a fight for a starting shirt when hostilities resume next week, but is up for the challenge again.

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Jon Walters has left but Joselu has returned from a long-term loan at Deportivo la Coruna. Saido Berahino has seemed like the manager's primary choice in pre-season, while Mame Diouf has sometimes been seen back in his favourite position of centre-forward.

But if Hughes goes for two up top then Crouch is in pole position to take one of the slots, seeming to get the best out of Bojan when they've worked together in the summer. He has been used the most with Berahino too in a partnership that has echoes of his old link-up with Jermain Defoe at Spurs and Portsmouth.

Whatever the choice, Crouch – having played 90 minutes in mid-week against St Pauli – insists he is fit and ready for the new season.

It has been a different preparation – the visit to Leipzig today (3.45pm kick-off) means Stoke will have got through eight frontline friendlies before heading to Goodison Park next weekend, but while travelling almost 6,000 miles less than last year. Now, almost, it's time for the real thing.

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Crouch added: "Pre-season has been different and good in some ways because we haven't travelled too far; we've played in Germany, France, Switzerland. We've put some work in at the training ground too.

"It's been good fitness wise and I certainly feel good. I think playing 90 minutes at St Pauli stands me in good stead. Going into the Leipzig game I would say I feel fully fit now ready for the season."